Watercraft



Patented June 14, 1938 e Alexander Herman, Berlin, Qfermany '1 Y Application June 3, 1936, SeralNo.83,314

i. v In Germany June 4, 1935 y s claims. (c1. 114-05) "'Ihisinvention* relates to watercraft with frictiony reducing, for example cylindrical floats supportingl the `hull abovethe surface ofthe water and, the floats arranged inuchains being ycapable offlimited movement, preferablyon the surface of the water-so as to follow the movementl of the water (waves). 1 V Y The object of the invention is to obtain balancing and consequently `a considerable increase in the travellingspeed of a watercraft with the above stated features and'to make this type of watercraft seaworthy whilst the pitching motion in rough weatheris reduced as much as possible or even'eliminated.-

The invention consists in that the ats in a watercraft havingth'e above mentioned features are threaded on stretched ropes` to form float chains vor are arranged in some other suitable manner on stretched ropes or yieldable links.

According to the invention, in the case where the float chains are supported at a number of points, the lindividual float chains are supported on the carrier frame of the hull'along their entire length at points situated relatively far apart.

The means for supporting the float chains relatively to the carrier frame of the hull are, according to the invention, soy constructed that they are to aflimited extent elastic, yieldableror articulated means forgsupporting the float chains relative to the carrier frame of the hull and, if desired, also the carrier frame, consist of lattice work in space with great compressive strengthbraced by metal Wire and offering little resistance to the medium (Water, air) to be cleaved.

The iioats can with advantage be in the shape of a bottle or cone, an ellipsoid or a ball.

v.Several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example in the accompany- `ing drawing in which:-`

Fig. 1 shows the watercraft in side elevation with ball-oat-chains arranged in longitudinal direction under the carrier frame for the hull. y Fig. 2 shows on `a larger scale a similar view g of the carrier frame with a slightly modified arrangement of iioats.

Fig. 3 is a cross section on line III-III of Fig. 2. Y

. Fig. l is a perspective view 'of the carrier frame. Fig. 5 shows in side elevation a carrier frame with bottle-shaped iioat-chains.

Figs. 6 and 7 show in plan View two different arrangements of float chains, without hull or carrier frame.

\ vals laterally-or preferably underneath with floats 3 arranged and constructed in a special manner. If, as in the example illustrated, the watercraft is driving by one or more propellers 4 arranged above the water the hull 2 may be guttiform or stream-lined. The craft can be steered` by an airfrudder 5 or by 'a rudder mounted on the frame I below the surfacel of the water. In the case of drive by air-propeller, the hull 2 and/or the carrier frame l may be equipped with supporting planes or wings 6 orv the like similar to those used on flying boats, so as to impart a certain buoyancy to the craft for reducing the friction in the water. These wings 6 must not, however, make the craft capable of flying, seeing that the invention relates to a real watercraft which can be steered by persons uninitiated in aviation.

The floats, which are generally designated by 3 in Fig. 1, may, according to the invention, be arranged and constructed in various ways; they are preferably of spherical, conical or bottle-shape and may be rigid hollow bodies or inflatable and wholly or partly elastic, so that they can be given a greater or smaller displacement volume according to the load to be carried.

'I'he carrier frame situated between thev floats and the hull is preferably composed of lattice Work, consisting of stays of uniform length arranged diagonally and interconnected at their points of intersection, and over the ends of which a wire is tightly stretched by coiled springs I1, as also shown in Figs. 2 and 5 so that the frame thus assembled presents the least possible resistance to the medium (air and possibly water in the case of high seas) to be cleaved when the craft is travelling. Such lattice Work sections formed of stays and stretched Wire have a great compression strength, and as they, at the same time, offer but slight resistanceto the medium, are also particularly suitable for the carrier frame. They are cheap to build and of -comparatively light weight. A carrier frame I composed of such structures is illustrated in all the examples shown in the drawing and can be seen most clearly in Fig. 4.

In Figs. 2 and 3 spherical floats I0 are provided which are threaded on ropes II in such a manner that they can rotate thereon. The ropes are yieldably stretched so that the floats I are capable of limited movement in all directions. They can move both in vertical and also in hori- Zontal direction and thus follow the movements of the waves to a limited extent. The oats I0 are arranged in parallel rows in longitudinal direction underneath the carrier frame I, the rows of chains being subdivided into sections I2 and I3. The individual float chain sections l2, I3 may be yieldable along their length at intervals by stays, should the length of the carrier frame so require. Such intermediate stays are indicated in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 shows a similar arrangement to Figs. 2 and 3, but the iloats I4 are of bottleor conicalshape.

Fig. 6 shows in plan View an arrangement of the float rows in which the oat chains converge at I5 at the bow of the carrier frame, instead of extending parallel along their entire length, Whereas the rear chain sections are arranged in three parallel rows along their entire length.AV v

Fig. '7 is a plan View showing another arrangement of the float chains.

In Figs. 8 and 9 the rowsof floats I6 are arranged transversely to the direction of travel. 'I'he arrangement is otherwise similar to that illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. The transverse arrangement presents the advantage that the water friction is reduced owing to the rotation of the floats. The ropes on which the floats are threaded should in this instance be so stretched that the floats can follow the movements of the Wa- Y ter surface to alimited extent.

I claimz- 1. A water craft for high speeds driven by propellers, Vcomprising in combination a hull;

short supporting planes on Asaid hull, a frame supporting said hull said frame consisting of pressure-resisting lattice work formed by interconnected diagonal stays and wires on the ends of said stays bracing said stays, ropes carried by said frame and yieldable relatively thereto, and floats rotatably mounted on said ropes and capable of limited movement in all directions at a distance from said frame.

2. A water craft for high speeds driven by propellers, comprising in combination a hull, short supporting planes on said hull, a frame supporting said hull said frame consisting of pressure-resisting lattice work formed by interconnected diagonal stays and wires on the ends of said stays bracing said stays, ropes elastically supported by said frame and divided in the length' of said frame and yieldable relatively thereto.; and oats rotatably mounted on said ropes and capable of limited movement in all directions at a distance from said frame.

3. A water craft for high speeds driven by propellers, comprising in combination a hull, short supporting planes on said hull, a frame supporting said hull said yframe consisting of pressure-resisting lattice Work formed by interconnected diagonal stays and wires on the ends of said stays bracing said stays, ropes carried by saidframe and yieldable relatively thereto, and floats in the formof rotation bodies rotatably mounted on said ropes and united to form oat chains capable'of limited movement in all directions at a distance-from said frame.

' ALEXANDER HERMAN. 

